William p



(No Model.) 7

W. P. JOHNSON.

CHECK ROW WIRE. v No. 297,265. P at ented Apr. 22,1884.

.dttorneya N. PETERS Pnowumu nmer, Wnshlngion. D. a

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WILLIAM F. JOHNSON, OF STERLING, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE S. TRACYAND THOMAS A. GALT, BOTH OF SAME PLACE.

CHECK-ROW WIRE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,265, dated April22, 1884.

' Application filed Jan nary 2, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM F. JOHN- SON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Sterling, in the county of \Vhiteside and State ofIllinois,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Check-Row\Vires; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings. and to letters or figures ofreference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

My invention has reference to certain improvements in the constructionof wires for actuating check-rowers in planting corn; and it consists,essentially, in the interposition of a perforated washer bet-ween theconnected ends of the sections of such wire. Two objections haveheretofore existed to the checkrow wire as differently made. If madewithout frequent joints, such wire was too stiff and unwieldy. Ifconstituted of frequent joints, created by mutually articulating thecontiguous ends of the sections of such wire, such sections werepredisposed to catch or kink at their points of juncture, and thusinterrupt the operation of the machine, if not actually break some ofits lighter parts. In my invention, by placing a perforated washer orbutton in the joint between such sections, I have rendered itpracticable to have ajoint at each point in the wire which actuates thecheck-rower, and yet perfectly preclude all danger of kinking such wire.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents a section of check-row wireembodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detached view of the parts involvedtherein.

A A are the sections of the check-row wire, having their adjacent endssuitably looped together in intervals at which it is desired to actuatethe check-rower.

B is a washer or button designed to actuate the checkrower, and providedwith the holes 0 G and D D, formed through its disk. The end of one ofthe sections Ais passed through one of the holes 0, and returned throughthe other hole 0 and firmly twisted upon itself. The adjacent end of thenext section, A, is passed in a contrary direction through one of theholes D, and back through the other hole D, and in like manner twistedfirmly upon itself. In this operation each of the sections A is passedthrough or looped in the adjacent end of the other; yet there isinterposed between the adjoining ends of such sections the centerportion of the button B; and in the movements of the wire, when slacked,the button B is constantly interposed between the adjoining ends of thesections A, thereby preventing sueh sections from catching or kinkingupon each other, while the frequency of such joints renders the wiresufficiently flexible and pliable for all requirements. In thisconstruction it is obvious that the full strength of the wire isretained, and that the button B is subject to no strain except that ofactuating the check-rower. Another advantage is that the button Boperates as a cushion, and prevents the ends of the sections A fromcutting into and wearing each other. The button B is made of sufficientsize and strength to actuate the check-rower in the usual way.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent ofthe United States, 1s

The combination of the button B, provided with two or more holes throughits disk, and the sections A A, the ends of such sections being loopedtogether,and the central portion of such button being interposed betweenthe engaging ends of such sections, substantially as shown, and for thepurpose described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM F. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

WALTER N. HASKELL, L. T. JOHNSON.

